A time-slotted channel hopping (“TSCH”) network can be defined by IEEE 802.15.4 and provide a communications network for resource providers (e.g., utility companies, home automation providers, industrial automation providers, or scientific and environmental application providers). The resource providers may use the TSCH network to communicate between TSCH devices (e.g., electric meters, routers) and low-energy (“LE”) devices that can be used to monitor or manage consumption of resources (e.g., electricity, heat, water, as well as other types of resources).
In some aspects, the TSCH devices, which can be referred to herein as parent nodes or TSCH nodes, can maintain synchronization with each other by periodically transmitting beacons to each other. In some aspects, LE devices can be Internet-Of-Things (“IoT”) enabled devices that can be used in smart power grid and smart home technologies. LE devices can be used as endpoints in TSCH networks, which can be referred to herein as the primary network or the primary TSCH network, and communicate messages with A/C powered parent nodes. LE devices (referred to herein as LE nodes, LE endpoints, or LE endpoint nodes) can include battery powered devices, energy harvesting devices, or vampire tapping devices. LE nodes can communicate using a second, low energy hopping pattern in a secondary TSCH network. The secondary TSCH network used by the LE nodes uses a channel hopping protocol in which channel frequencies may switch at a much slower rate than the primary TSCH network used by the TSCH devices. The secondary TSCH network can be referred to herein as a low-energy time-slotted channel hopping (“LE-TSCH”) network. The slower channel hopping protocol used by the LE-TSCH network can be referred to as a low energy channel hopping protocol. To save on power consumption and conserve battery life, the LE-TSCH network can allow LE nodes to enter a sleep state (i.e. turning off higher powered electronics such as oscillators or placing them in a low power mode). Because LE nodes are limited in the possible number of transmissions in a given TSCH timeslot, LE nodes may not transmit or receive the periodic beacons from A/C powered parent nodes for maintaining synchronization.